Spring is in the Air! 20 Tips to Freshen Your Home

By Cal Orey

Spring has sprung. It’s time to lighten up, with cleaning and feng shui--the ancient Chinese art of placement. By embracing springtime and bringing inside changes you can feel peace and harmony. Read on--you can enjoy renewal by changing things up room by room in your home for the change of seasons--and don't forget to put on a pot of tea and enjoy spring flowers.

Kitchen

1 Use Earth-friendly or green cleaners. Think vinegar and olive oil. It's time to clean your kitchen from top to bottom to be clean like a clean beehive. If you keep it eco-friendly it will provide you with better health and energy.

2  Declutter your kitchen counters. Remove everything and wash down with white vinegar and water.  Getting rid of things you don't use will up your energy. You will feel lighter with less kitchen baggage.

3  Clean out the pantry. Check out the expiration dates of cereals, oils, dried and canned goods. Out with the old and replenish with new items to pair with lighter, spring dishes… Toss old dried herbs and spices and add new ones. (Their shelf life is one to a few years unlike fresh seasonings that may only last a few days to a week.) 

4 … Add fresh salads, sandwiches, and smoothies, and tea--which can help you lighten up in mind and body for the new season when we shed winter weight and wear lighter clothing.

5 Clean the refrigerator, stovetop and oven. This is a chore, but it feels clean and fresh once you tackle each job. Use vinegar and water.
Dining Room/Living Room

6 Boost your mood with plants. To help wipe out pollutants in your kitchen--like beekeepers do with their colonies--fill your window sills with healthy, hardy, happy plants (i.e., cactus and philodendrons).

7 Fish, fish, fish. Goldfish can bring you good luck and prosperity. In fact, nine is the lucky number (and so are eight)…

8 Refresh the water and do a partial fish aquarium cleanup. It will provide positive energy in the room as well as keep your fish happy and healthy. Replace the filters, and add new rock.

9 Bring out the fresh fruit and vegetables. Keep healthful seasonal fruits on display and ready to use. Citrus (such as lemons and oranges) are good for the kitchen counters and artichokes for the dining room and green apples look nice in the living room.

Bedroom(s)

10 Replace darker colored sheets and comforters with a lighter color and material. Fresh white or light grey cotton with a high thread count can boost your mood and help you get better sleep.

11 If there is clutter, remove it. Clean counters give a space a cleaner feel, a lighter mood.

12 Switch framed artwork and photos with more of a springtime look. Think flowers, and colors like green, white, and blue instead of darker hues or go for Mediterranean look with navy blue, dark orange, accent colors of gold and black.

Study

13 It’s the perfect time to replenish your work room with new items. That means refresh this room into a sanctuary. Add fresh paper, pencils, pens, and cartridges for your printer. Clean up your desktop on your computer…

14 Clean the desk and keep it simple. Add a vase and put branches with springtime blossoms in it for a fresh, fragrant look and scent.

Bathroom

15 Switch dark colored towels with fresh, fluffy white, blue, or green ones.

16 Also, you may want to change your bath mat to a lighter material and color, perhaps a natural, grassy texture.

17 Open the bathroom cabinets and like the kitchen pantry, toss out any old items and replenish with new shampoo, cream rinse, and soaps… Springtime makeup should also be updated to new, seasonal colors.

Outdoors

18  Hang wind chimes to hear the wonderful sounds when spring winds blow…

19  Bring out the patio furniture. Add fresh pillows or seat cushions to give your yard a new, fresh look…

20  If you have a deck, sweep, hose down, and paint to give it an update and clean feel for the new season…and get a bird feeder hanger, fill with bird food.

Most importantly, it’s the time to get rid of cob webs, do a thorough vacuuming in every room (move the furniture), dust. and wash windows inside and outside, open them to let the sunshine and fresh air indoors. Then, sit down, exhale, enjoy your clean, decluttered surroundings and renewal of springtime!